Blundstone arena

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A Suburban cricket and football ground that somehow became a International Cricket Venue.

Was upgraded for Cricket Tasmania and the odd International match. Big Bash and AFL give it a lot more use than 10 years ago. It has great facilities and viewing points. Is really good for what is held there and the size of the city.

The stadium isn't the issue for low crowds. Mixture of poor weather, ticket prices and the locals staging a strike against the AFL result in an empty ground on Saturday arvo. Probably zero Giants fans in Tassie also.
 
A Suburban cricket and football ground that somehow became a International Cricket Venue.

Was upgraded for Cricket Tasmania and the odd International match. Big Bash and AFL give it a lot more use than 10 years ago. It has great facilities and viewing points. Is really good for what is held there and the size of the city.

The stadium isn't the issue for low crowds. Mixture of poor weather, ticket prices and the locals staging a strike against the AFL result in an empty ground on Saturday arvo. Probably zero Giants fans in Tassie also.

Thanks Jimmy Maxwell , for once again putting the boots in with your lack of support for Tassie
the whole reason cricket is stuffed in Aussie is because of the NSW press mafia, building the huge egos of those under performing NSW w***ers the pitch at bellerive is superior to all cricket grounds in NSW ( when the last time SCG was filled for cricket )
the state govt has pumped in excess of $50 mill into Hawks and NM ( both were losers b4 coming th Tassie ) you will see that blund is bigger than MCG
its 26 mtr longer than SCG

http://www.freebookiebets.com.au/afl_football_grounds.htm
 
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The ground is pretty damn good for a city of just 200k. Great facilities. The low crowd happened because of a number of factors in the weather, who the kangaroos played and the lower socioeconomic population down there. It’s just not cheap going to games anymore.

It’s not the grounds fault.
 
just wondering what are your thoughts of the size of the stadium and if they get enough good crowds.
I wouldn't get too excited about the crowd numbers last weekend, it's probably more of a reflection of playing GWS. They have bugger all support outside Sydney. North Melbourne conversely have 7,000 Tasmanian Members. Ballarat experienced a similar drop a couple of weeks ago playing Gold Coast Suns against the Bulldogs in front of 6,800. Entry to that game was by Bulldogs members paying a premium on top of their regular membership and booking only. But about 6,300 at that game were Bulldogs who filled all of the allocated members reserved areas.

For some perspective, consider the average attendances at Blundstone Arena for AFL games over the years as follows:
2018 - 10,730
2017 - 10,920
2016 - 15,649
2015 - 14,634
And an average of 12,655 over all games since 2012.

As I said, I wouldn't get too excited, the crowd numbers at Hobart also in part reflect North's performance year by year, and while they are performing better than anybody anticipated so far this year, it is still a long way to the finals for them to be considered a real contender for the final eight. It is interesting to note that Launceston has shown the same trends with Hawthorn.
 
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I wouldn't get too excited about the crowd numbers last weekend, it's probably more of a reflection of playing GWS. They have bugger all support outdide Sydney. North Melbourne conversely have 7,000 Tasmanian Members. Ballarat experienced a similar drop a couple of weeks ago playing Gold Coast Suns against the Bulldogs in front of 6,800. Entry to that game was by Bulldogs members paying a premium on top of their regular membership and booking only. But about 6,300 at that game were Bulldogs who filled all of the allocated members reserved areas.

For some perspective, consider the average attendances at Blundstone Arena for AFL games over the years as follows:
2018 - 10,730
2017 - 10,920
2016 - 15,649
2015 - 14,634
And an average of 12,655 over all games since 2012.

As I said, I wouldn't get too excited, the crowd numbers at Hobart also in part reflect North's performance year by year, and while they are performing better than anybody anticipated so far this year, it is still a long way to the finals for them to be considered a real contender for the final eight. It is interesting to note that Launceston has shown the same trends with Hawthorn.
It’s a rather a good effort in a city of 200k with terrible cold weather!

Well compare that to several nrl teams that regularly get 9 to 12 k at thei home venue or larger venue and is seen as acceptable go figure
 
Launceston get good crowds
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They get slightly bigger crowds, but that's more likely of a reflection of Hawthorn being broadly more popularly supported than NM. Particularly in light of the fact that Launceston is considerably smaller than Hobart.

Aurora Stadium - Attendances (2001-2018)
Year GM Ave.
2018 1 15741
2017 4 13197
2016 4 14324
2015 4 13851
2014 4 13825
2013 4 13238
2012 4 15688
2011 4 15716
2010 4 16173
2009 4 17402
2008 4 17528
2007 4 17403
2006 5 17108
2005 4 15772
2004 4 16615
2003 4 16707
2002 2 16589
2001 1 17460
Totals 65 15718
 
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Does anyone know when tickets will go on sale for the North Melbourne-Adelaide game?

I have my flights booked so am going.
and I know Adelaide Oval/MCG/Marvel Stadium tickets go on sale for rds 12-15 next week. Is it going to be the same for Blundstone?
 
The state govt has pumped in excess of $50 mill into Hawks and NM ( both were losers b4 coming th Tassie )
It has been a mutual love-in between NM, the Hawks and Tasmanian Tourism. Both teams were sponsored by TT to promote winter tourism to the state and to some extent that objective is being met. The two teams have benefitted from the sponsorship (perhaps Hawthorn more than North Melbourne in terms of dollars). For the record NM are still losing ;) even after coming to Tassie. Hawthorn really don't need the sponsorship in that they are one of the biggest and richest clubs in Melbourne and get around $26 million (plus) in gaming revenue alone each year.

It's been a relationship of convenience for TT and the two clubs although North have probably benefitted the most in gaining 6500 of its 44,000 members so far this year from Tassie as well as much needed sponsorship moneys. If Tassie gets its own team approved then both North and Hawthorn will be quickly shown the door by the end of season 2024 in which case North Melbourne would certainly be looking for another alternate location. My bet would be Bendigo. Hawthorn are certainly big enough and rich enough that they really don't need Tassie but are sticking there ATM out of loyalty and the relationship and good will that has been built with Launceston since 1999.

If a super-stadium is built in Hobart as the dedicated home ground of a new Tassie team, what does this mean for UTAS Stadium? Does it get two or three Tassie home games per-season? I cannot imagine the Launceston football community being terribly happy at the prospect of losing all AFL games altogether to Hobart.
 
It has been a mutual love-in between NM, the Hawks and Tasmanian Tourism. Both teams were sponsored by TT to promote winter tourism to the state and to some extent that objective is being met. The two teams have benefitted from the sponsorship (perhaps Hawthorn more than North Melbourne in terms of dollars). For the record NM are still losing ;) even after coming to Tassie. Hawthorn really don't need the sponsorship in that they are one of the biggest and richest clubs in Melbourne and get around $26 million (plus) in gaming revenue alone each year.

It's been a relationship of convenience for TT and the two clubs although North have probably benefitted the most in gaining 6500 of its 44,000 members so far this year from Tassie as well as much needed sponsorship moneys. If Tassie gets its own team approved then both North and Hawthorn will be quickly shown the door by the end of season 2024 in which case North Melbourne would certainly be looking for another alternate location. My bet would be Bendigo. Hawthorn are certainly big enough and rich enough that they really don't need Tassie but are sticking there ATM out of loyalty and the relationship and good will that has been built with Launceston since 1999.

If a super-stadium is built in Hobart as the dedicated home ground of a new Tassie team, what does this mean for UTAS Stadium? Does it get two or three Tassie home games per-season? I cannot imagine the Launceston football community being terribly happy at the prospect of losing all AFL games altogether to Hobart.

So who pays at Bendigo ?
 
So who pays at Bendigo ?
I reckon that they would push for a similar arrangement to the Bulldogs. A mixture of Tourism Vic and the Bendigo Council. There would be a lot less expense building a grandstand at QEO as the ground is better developed than what Eureka Stadium originally was. About $15 mil would build a reasonable stand with media and coaches boxes. $15 mil is a drop in the bucket compared with grants that the AFL teams are all getting to redevelop their old VFL grounds and what Hawthorn and Melbourne have received for Dingly and Casey Fields respectively.
 

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